Marjane Satrapi, whose first graphic-novel memoir of growing up in Iran made such a critical and popular impact, continues the story of her life, picking up right where she left off (and left Iran). Arriving in Austria for four years of schooling, Marjane is assailed by crippling homesickness and culture shock. While her life slowly drifts off course, her homeland is torn apart in a brutal war with Iraq. When she returns home to Iran, she realizes that although she never felt entirely at home in Europe, her time in the West has changed her more than she realized. As in the previous book, the deceptively simple black-and-white drawings have the look of woodcuts. The art focuses on the characters, particularly their modes of hair, makeup, and dress, demonstrating to readers how one's outward appearance is (and is not) linked to religious and political convictions in Iran.
